Wednesday, December 15, 2010

NOW IT CAN BE REVEALED

A few months ago, a movie director called Kris Hipps emailed me to ask if she could make a short independent film based my old Tijuana Bible song/poem “Memphis Psychosis.” My response was “Why the hell not?” Since then the project has progressed with a will of it’s own. (Although I’m giving all input asked.) So far a teaser video – which features the Russ Meyer looking ladies above – accompanies the following pitch for funding. This all promises to be great fun. I wish I was twenty five again.

“HOW IT STARTED A few years ago, while browsing through a second-hand music store, I picked up a CD called “Tijuana Bible” - a collection of songs and beat poetry pieces by an artist named Mick Farren. My favorite was a piece called “Memphis Psychosis”, the story of a trip to Graceland gone hellishly and hilariously wrong due to a handful of pills purchased in the restroom of a diner. For years I dreamed of putting this piece to film, and after founding PaperCat Films in 2009, decided to go out on a limb and contact Farren through his blog. He responded almost immediately, and our project was launched. WHAT WE NEED “Memphis Psychosis” is currently in production, and preliminary shooting has begun, but as a small independent company, naturally we could use some help in the financing department, to pay for travel expenses to England to interview Mick for the documentary section of the piece, editing costs, and festival entry fees. WHO IS MICK FARREN? After I started communicating with Mick, I realized what an amazing life he’s led, and decided to extend the piece to a short film within a documentary on the life and times of Mick Farren –British counterculture icon, musician, political activist, prolific sci-fi/horror author (the popular Victor Renquist vampire novels) and columnist for the Los Angeles City Beat. His musical creds include the British psych rock band “The Deviants, and the proto-punk band The Pink Fairies, and his popular solo album “Vampires Stole my Lunch Money” featuring Chrissie Hynde. So far we’re having a blast with this project, and Mr. Farren has been more than accomodating. He is one very cool guy. As the protagonist, “Pilgrim” states in the piece, “I was in the mood for conspicuous consumption, and the ghost of Elvis was at my shoulder”.